Psychosocial working conditions and sickness absence in a general population: A cohort study of 21,834 workers in Norway (The HUNT Study)

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between psychosocial working conditions and sickness absence. METHODS: Data for 21,834 employed adults from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) were linked to the sickness benefit register and sickness absence during 1 year after survey participation was analyzed with logistic regression. RESULTS: A one unit change on a 0 to 3 self-reported job demand scale was associated with a fully adjusted 24% and 25% increased odds of sickness absence in men and women, respectively. A one unit change on a 0 to 3 scale for self-reported support at work was associated with a fully adjusted 13% and 17% reduced odds of sickness absence in men and women, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that demands, and to some extent support, at work might influence sickness absence-also when adjusting for a detailed categorization of occupations.